Resurgent Manchester City resumes title search against in-form Wolverhampton Wanderers

MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola's rejuvenated
Manchester City face a potentially tricky challenge at home to
Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday as they continue their Premier
League title defence.

But the early days of 2019 suggest their uncharacteristic December
collapse is firmly behind them.

The final month of last year saw City lose successive league games,
against relatively modest opposition in both Crystal Palace and
Leicester City, following an end to their unbeaten domestic start
to the campaign earlier at the beginning of December.

But a victory over leaders Liverpool to kick off New Year
completely rejuvenated the mood at the Etihad Stadium after City
had been denied the services of injured playmaker Kevin De
Bruyne for most of the first half of the campaign.

And two stunning cup victories in the space of four days -- albeit
against lower league clubs Rotherham and Burton Albion -- suggested
the clinical, cutting edge that characterised City's play during
last season's record-breaking title-winning campaign was back.

Championship side Rotherham were swept aside 7-0 at the Etihad,
with third division Burton suffering an even more painful fate in a
lopsided first leg of League Cup semi-final, when City scored nine
goals without reply.

That latter victory not only all but assured City of a place in the
final against Tottenham or Chelsea next month but also indicated
the demanding Guardiola will not tolerate any let-up in his quest
to add more silverware to the club's trophy cabinet.

It was a mood reflected by De Bruyne against Rotherham when he
showed visible dissatisfaction at being brought off after an hour,
even though City were already leading by five goals.

Some reports even suggested De Bruyne refused to return to the
bench to watch the remainder of the match, remaining, instead, in
the City dressing room.

"No, I didn't speak with him," said City manager Guardiola curtly,
when asked if he had addressed De Bruyne's reaction to being
replaced.

But given the Belgian has started just one league game so far this
campaign, he is likely to be chomping at the bit to play from the
kick-off against Wolves.

Sergio Aguero, too, has returned after being absent since the
Liverpool win due to illness and inspirational club captain and
defender Vincent Kompany is another player
winning his battle to be fit for Monday's match.

The general picture suggests that, having weathered a brief loss of
form, City have not only returned to their clinical best but also
have a number of key players hitting fitness at the right time, as
Guardiola insists his squad can maintain their chase for honours on
four fronts.

Even long-term injury victim Benjamin Mendy is making progress
and expected to return to the fold shortly.

Meanwhile second-placed City will want to close the seven-point gap
at the top of the table created by Liverpool's 1-0 win away to
Brighton on Saturday when they face Wolves.

However Nuno Espirito Santo's side held City to a creditable 1-1
draw earlier in the season at Molineux and drew 1-1 at the Etihad
in last season's League Cup when they were still a Championship
club.

"We realised when we played the EFL (English Football League) Cup
and the first away game how complicated it would be," said
Guardiola of the threat posed by high-flyers Wolves.

"They are strong physically, counter-attack, set-pieces. There is
not just one or two, there are three or four (Wolves players) and
when you are tired, they can put on new players."

He added: "They defend well, deep, they control many areas --
Moutinho, Neves, he can shoot from a long way. They are
newly-promoted and doing incredibly well."